Weblog Usage

     I’m not going to lie. I probably will not use this outside of English 110.  It’s fun to post things, but I would never take the time to actually post something.
Weblogs are great, don’t get me wrong, but I just don’t think it’s for me…but we’ll see…

Change In Attitude?

As the quarter progressed, we had three major writing assignments and projects. We wrote an analytical research paper, an opinion editorial, and digital compositions, which means we posted blogs.
The analytical research paper required us to pick a topic, form an opinion and theory about it, and research if it is true or not. With the requirements of the paper, I chose to research the culture of Samoa, which allowed me to learn about the country in a unique way.

Being able to research a topic in which I was interested and posting weblogs with my opinion or personal views, allowed me to be able to express myself through writing which I had not really done previously.  My opinions have not really changed, but through having an objective perspective on topics, I have been able to learn about a topic more in depth.

What are Op-Eds?

Opinion editorials, also called op-eds, seem to be somewhat informal, but yet informative in some way.  Op-eds allow writers to express a persuasive opinion on a particular topic. 

There does not seem to be a set of rules a writer needs to follow.  An op-ed does not seem to be persuasive if the author does not convey he/she has a firm understanding of a topic, but in order for an author to have an opinion about something, he/she  should be well informed anyway. So realistically, being informative and forming a persuasive opinion goes hand in hand. 

The way op-eds are informative is it gives a point of view. Whether a reader agrees with it or not, it shows the open-minded reader where the authors are coming from and why they believe what they believe.

 An example of this can be found in the editorial I have found on a website.  He knows why we vote, the significane of voting, what it cost for the country, and he uses this information to convict an reader;s patriotism toward his/her country.

An Interesting Editorial

http://blog.cleveland.com/pdopinion/2008/11/vote_its_a_right_a_duty_and_a.html

Unlike other political editorials, this author is focusing on convincing someone to just vote period. He is not worried about for whom you vote or the reasons.  The author explains what voting means to the country and targets a person’s personal pride in being a citizen of the country, in this case, the United States of America.

I believe the strategy he used in convicting someone’s personal pride and the respect for the country is very effective.  Citizens of the United States will most likely read this and want to enforce their freedom to vote as well as show their pride that they care about their country and the issues pertaining to each election.

Academic and Popular Difference

Writing for an academic audience is different from writing for a popular audience.  
An academic audience means the topic is being discussed with people who know more than the average person and usually have a good understanding of where they stand with a particular issue. When focusing on an academic topic, credible sources are important and usually results in a study of other academic works about a certain subject.
Writing a paper for a popular audience is generally easier to do because it is a topic many are interested in, and it can range from basic to slightly more advanced information than an average person’s understanding.  Credible sources are not really needed, but it is helpful to be certain the information is correct. The average person, when reading something non-academic, may not worry about whether or not the information is valid.

Spaces and Places

I have done some research, and I am really interested in writing analytically about Samoa and American Samoa.  American Samoa is obviously a territory in which the US has had an interest for years.

After visiting the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii, I learned that the polynesian cultures are hard to maintain with all of the outside influence. One of the reasons why the Polynesian Cultural Center exists is because they do not want to let their culture disappear.

I would like to determine whether or not the culture of Samoa and American Samoa is becoming hard to preserve with all of the European and American influence in each of these countries. If so, what are the direct issues causing this?

• After completing some research on this topic. I have found that the Samoan culture is actually one of the very few cultures that are able to preserve their culture AND adapt Western influences.
  The religion of the Samoans was not the base of their government, so when the missionaries came over and were able to convert many to Christianity, the government and organization did not change.  When the United States took Samoa as its own territory, they were willing to help the Samoans keep their system of government while still giving them representation in the American Government.
  Many other third world cultures base their government on what they believe, so when missionaries came and converted members of these cultures, the government changed to that of a Western Influence.
  Samoa, for now, is not in danger of losing their culture, but if the United States or other Western influence wishes to change their form of government, their culture will deteriorate and will be in danger.
  

http://www.polynesia.com/islands.html